Towing hitch for portable rollers



Jan. 24, 1950 wRlGHT v TOWING HITCH FOR PORTABLE ROLLERS Filed 0st. s, 1946 Patented Jan. 24, 1950 'UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,495,493 TOWING HITCH FOR PORTABLE RoLLERs Fred J. Wright, Columbus, Ohio, assignor to The Gallon Iron Works & Manufacturing Company,

a corporation of Ohio Application October 3, 1946,'Seri'al No. 700,970 9 Claims. (01. 280-3344) This invention relates to a towing tongue or hitch for a portable roller or the like.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved towing tongue or hitch which is not only capable of hitching the roller to a towing vehicle, such as a truck or a tractor, but which may also be adjusted to lift the leveling roll off the ground so that the portable roller may be towed along about its rear wheels or rollers.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter, the novel features and combinations-being set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1. is a side elevational View of a portable Troller including the'hitch of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan .view of the'towing tongue or hitch; and

Fig. 3 is aside elevational view of the towing I tongue or hitch, with parts broken away.

Fig. 1 of the drawings shows a portable roller whichincludes a main frame IIJ upon which a driving motor is mounted which is connected through controllable. gearing 'to drive a front --leveling roll II which is 'iournaled on the main frame I0. At its rear end the main frame I'fl'is supported by a pair of laterally spaced steering wheels I2 which may be steered by an operator through a wheel I3. I

place to place is preferably effected by lifting the r The transportation of a portable roller from front or main leveling roll oflf the ground. and lsupporting the front of the portable roller on a .towing truck or tractor. I have, provided imiproved towing tongue or hitch meanswhich may be employed to hitch the portable roll'er'onto a towing vehicle and also may be employed to elevate leveling roll II, lifting it off the' ground,

-while at the same. time providing a 'very efficient and easily operable hitch;

The completely assembled hitch is designated.

-I4 and, as seen inFig. 1 of the drawings, is

attached to the front end of the mainframe I of .rthe 1 portable roller; Said hitch I4 includes'a rear, upright, attaching plate I5 which is provided with a plurality of holes so that it may be:

bolted at adjusted elevations on the mainframe Ill of the portable roller so as to accommodate lit to be hitched to various draft vehicles.

Rigidly attached to the plate I5 and extending forwardly-therefrom is a drawbar support formed by a pair of upstanding laterally spaced side plates I6 which form walls that are connected together across their topsby a laterally extending cover plate H, the attaching plate I5, side plates I6 and cover plate I'I all co-operating to provide a the combination drawbar support and jack housing I8 by straddling them, and, as above mentioned, provides the rearward pivotal connection between the drawbar I9 and the bottom of the combination drawbar support and jack housing I8 through the pivotal connection therewith by way of horizontally extending transverse pin 22.

Appropriate bearing areas are provided between the plates 28 and the pin 22 and between the plates I6 and said pin 22, as best illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

The drawbar support I8 provides an effective housing which is open at the bottom and within and between the upstanding walls I6 of which there is carried a jack 23, preferably a hydraulic jack, the piston rod of which is pivotally connected to the walls I6 of the combination drawbar support and jack housing by a pin 24 that extends through aligned openings one of which is formed in each wall or plate I6 and adjacent the top of the drawbar support I8. The base of the cylinder of jack 23 is pivotally connected by a pin'25 to the side plate 28 of the drawbar I9 along a horizontal axis fo rwar d of the axis of pin 22. One of the side plates I6 preferably has an open- ,ing- 26 therein to permit the insertion of an operating handle for the jack 23 which may be stood in the art of jacks.

Adjacent itsfront end the drawbar I9 is proexpanded or contracted in a manner well under- -vided with an eye or U-s'haped ring 21 which adapted to be received by a hook, clevisor the or tractor.

like on the towing or supporting vehicle.

In the operation of the device the portable I roller will be positioned adjacent the rear of the towing vehicle and the jack 23 contracted to allow theeye or ring 21 to be attached to the hook, clevis or other attaching means on the rear end of the towing vehicle, such as a truck Thereupon,'the jack 23 will be expanded and this. will'swing the drawbar I9 about the horizontal axis of pivot pin 22.

Since the eye or attaching ring 21 is attached to the towing vehicle this swinging movement under the action of the jack 23 will transfer the load normally on the roll II to the towing vehicle until the roll H is elevated or lifted off the ground a desired amount. Under such circumstances the roller will be supported at its front end on the towing vehicle and at its rear on the steering wheels I2 which are preferably locked in position against tilting 'or longitudinal movement.

Preferably in order to take the load off the jack 23, after the hitch I4 is expanded, or, in other words, after the drawbar fli-sswung downwardly, said drawbar I9 is provided with a pair of aligned holes adjacent the tops of plates 29 which are adapted to receive a locking pin 28 which may extend between selected pairs. of aligned openings formed in the upright laterally spaced plates or walls I6, one pair being near the middle of the drawbar support I8 with relation to its elevation, the other pair being adjacent the bottom thereof.

InFigs. 1 and 3 oi'the-drawings'the pin 28 extends through the upper :set of said aligned I openings and thus locks the drawbar 1-9 to' the support 18 in "its upper or-contracted position. When the drawbar I9 is swung downwardly or expanded, as above mentioned, pin 28 may be inserted through the lower pair of aligned openings or holes in plates or walls 1 6, one of which is seen at 29, thereby "locking said hi'tch in its expanded or roll-lifting position. This, as aboye mentioned, takes the load off the -jack 23. A cotter key or other locking means may be, employed to lock the pin 28 in either of the pair of aligned holes in the drawbar-support 18 through which it may be extended.

From the foregoing'descriptionof my hitch and its operation it 'will be apparent that "I have :provided an improved, more rugged, and more compact hitch that may be readily and 'adjustably positioned upon a vehicle and a hitch wherein the jack lies substantially wholly -withizran area defined by laterally spaced upstanding structural walls and peripheries thereof whereby the jack is protected. Flt-will also be obvious that I prefer to connect at least 'a portion of the peripheral edges 01'' the laterally spaced upright walls to form a protecting and structural housing 'in which the jack is carried.

Obviously those skilled in the art may make various changes 'in'the "details :and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims Thereto appended, and I therefore wish not to be restricted to the precise construction herein disclosed.

Having thus described "and "shown'an embodi ment of 'my invention, what I desire to secure by'Letters Patent of the Unitedstates is:

1. A hitch including a normally upright attanning-plate for attaching it to a vehicle, means including said attaching plate forming a housing having -upstanding laterally spaced walls, means forming a drawbar straddling said housing and mounted thereto for swinging movement, a hydraulic jack carried between the spaced walls ofsaidhousing pivoted thereto and to said drawbar for swinging the latter with respect to said housing, and'locliing means for locking said drawbar and housing in at least one position, said locking means including .a :pin adapted to be .re ceived in aligned openings formed by both said drawbar and said housing.

.2. .A hitch including a normally upright atincluding said attaching plate forming a housing having upstanding laterally spaced walls, means forming a drawbar straddling said housing and mounted thereto for swinging movement, a hydraulic jack carried between the spaced walls of said housing pivoted thereto and to said drawbar for swinging the latter with respect to said housing, andilocking means ifor locking said draw bar and "housingin at least -one position.

3. A hitch including a normally upright attaching plate for attaching it to a vehicle, means including said attaching plate forming a housing having upstanding laterally spaced walls, means forming a --drawbar straddling said hous ing and mounted thereto for swinging movement, a jack carried between the spaced walls ofx'said housing pivoted thereto and to said drawbar for swinging the latter with respect to said housing, and locking means for locking said drawbar and housing in at least one position.

4. A lhitch including :a normally upright attaching plate for attachingjttoa vehicle, means including said attaching :plate forming a housing having upstanding laterally spaced walls, means forming :a drawbanstraddling said housing and "mounted thereto for. swinging movement, and a jacs. carried between hhesspaced walis of said housing pivoted thereto and IE0 drawbar for swinging the latter with mesnect toisaid housmg.

'5. A .hitch including :a normally upright :attaching plate for attaching it to :awehicle, means including said attaching plate :fmming .a draw- :bar "support having upstanding laterally spaced walls, :a drawbar interfitting with said spaced 'walzls pivoted for "up and .down swinging movement, a jack carried between the spaced walls of said :drawbar "support connected thereto and to said drawbar for "swinging latter, and locking means for locking :said drawbar and drawbar support in :at least one position "with respectito each -other, said :lockingmeans includinga pin adapted to he received aligned-openings formed "by both .said drawbar and :drawbar support.

'6. .A hitch including a normally upright attaching plate for attaching .it tozawehicle, means including said attaching platezformsing a drawbar support having upstanding laterally spaced walls, -a drawbar interfitting said spaced walls pivoted .for up and down swinging movement, :a jack carried between the spaced walls of said drawbar support connected thereto and to said drawbar .for swinging :the. latter, and locking means ior locking rsaid drawbar and drawbar support 'in at least one position with respect to eachother.

7,. A hitch including a normally upright attaching plate for attaching it to a vehicle, .means including said attachingiplate forming .aldrawbar support .havingmpstanding laterally spaced walls, ;a drawbar interfitting 171th said :spaced walls .pivotedfor :up and :down :swingingzmovement, and a jack carried between the spaced walls of said drawbar support connected thereto and to said drawbarzfior swinging the :latter.

8. .In a hitch, .a drawbar member, .a drawbar support member, one of .zsaidamembers including laterally spaced upstandingiplates :adapted to interfitwith the other member, pivot means associated with said laterally spaced -.upstanding plates interconnectingisaid drawbar member and drawbar support member for pivotal .movement with respect to each other, :a;jack carriedzbetween itaching plate for attaching to a vehicle, means 7 5 said laterally spaced upstandinesp ates ior swinging said drawbar with respect to said drawbar support member, said jack lying substantially wholly within the area between said laterally spaced upstanding plates and defined by their peripheries, and locking means co-operating with said laterally spaced upstanding plates for locking said drawbar member and drawbar support member in at least one position with respect to each other.

9. In a hitch, a drawbar member, a drawbar support member, one of said members including laterally spaced upstanding plates adapted to interfit with the other member, pivot means associated with said laterally spaced upstanding plates interconnecting said drawbar member and drawbar support member for pivotal movement with respect to each other, and a jack carried between said laterally spaced upstanding plates for swinging said drawbar with respect to said drawbar support member, said jack lying substantially wholly within the area between said laterally spaced upstanding plates and defined by their peripheries.

FRED J. WRIGHT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

